Airspan Appoints Industry Veteran Bill Hope to Its Australian Subsidiary's Board of Directors

BOCA RATON, FL--(Marketwire - October 18, 2007) - Airspan Networks Inc. (NASDAQ: AIRN), a leading worldwide provider of WiMAX and Wi-Fi based broadband wireless access networks, announced today that William (Bill) Hope has joined Airspan's fully owned Australian subsidiary, Airspan Networks Pty Ltd., Board of Directors as a non-executive Director.

Bill Hope brings to the Board of Directors more than 35 years' technical and commercial experience, principally in the telecommunications industry. He has devoted the last 25 years of his career to Singapore Telecom (SingTel) and Optus before retiring earlier this year as their Executive Vice President and Managing Director of Networks. He has a wide background in the telecommunications industry in the Asia Pacific region with previous experience as a Director on a number of industry boards.

"Bill brings extensive knowledge of the needs of service providers and their subscribers to Airspan. His lengthy and successful experience at Optus and SingTel will greatly contribute to our competitiveness and enhance our leadership position in the rapidly growing WiMAX market," said Henrik Smith-Petersen, Airspan's President of Asia Pacific.

A first-class honors graduate in science from the University of Western Australia and with postgraduate qualifications in fluid dynamics, Mr. Hope began his career with utilities in Australia before moving to the UK to work with British Aerospace as a senior dynamics engineer. Joining Aussat in 1982, he was promoted to CTO in 1997, assuming responsibility for Optus' local, long distance, mobile, IP, and satellite networks. Moving to Singapore's largest carrier, SingTel, in 2000, he was a leading exponent of that company's integration with Optus the following year.

In 2003 he returned to Australia to oversee the merged entity's networking operations across Australia and Singapore. Mr. Hope has published and presented numerous papers on telecoms engineering around the world.

About Airspan Networks Inc.

Airspan Networks provides wireless voice and broadband data systems and solutions for the fixed and mobile WiMAX and Wi-Fi markets, including Voice Over IP (VoIP). Its wireless products serve operators around the world in both licensed and unlicensed frequency bands between 700 MHz and 6 GHz. Airspan has a strong wireless product roadmap that includes WiMAX Forum Certified equipment and products meeting 802.11 a/b/g Wi-Fi standards, Airspan's HiperMAX and MicroMAX base station products support portable and mobile 802.16e-2005 WiMAX alongside fixed and nomadic 802.16-2004 products. Airspan products also include "self install" and professionally installed customer premise equipment. Airspan is on the Board and is a founder member of the WiMAX Forum and a member of the Wi-Fi Alliance. The Company has deployments in more than 100 countries with more than 400 operators, 100 of which use Airspan's WiMAX Forum Certified and non-certified products. Airspan's wireless systems are based on radio technology that delivers excellent area coverage, high security and resistance to fading. These systems can be deployed rapidly and cost effectively, providing an attractive alternative to traditional wired communications networks. Airspan also offers radio planning, network installation, integration, training and support services to facilitate the deployment and operation of its systems. Airspan is an international telecommunications equipment provider headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida. More information on Airspan can be found at http://www.airspan.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, including statements regarding our strategy, future operations, financial position, future revenues, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives of management, may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. The words "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "expects," "intends," "may," "plans," "projects," "will," "would" and similar expressions or negative variations thereof are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. We may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in our forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in the forward-looking statements we make. Investors and others are therefore cautioned that a variety of factors, including certain risks, may affect our business and cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. The Company is subject to the risks and uncertainties described in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006 and Form 10-Q for the quarter ended July 1, 2007. You should read those factors as being applicable to all related forward-looking statements wherever they appear in this press release. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

Contact Information: For Investor Relations and Media Inquiries, contact: David Brant Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer Airspan Networks Inc. Tel: +1 561 893-8650 Fax: +1 561 893-8681 Email: